Photo: EQ Images
The Washington Capitals invited free agent defenseman Eliot Antonietti to Development Camp, which began on Monday. Standing six-foot-six and weighing 236 pounds, Antonietti is an undrafted defenseman who just happens to be humangas big. Despite his young age (he’s just 21), he already has professional experience having played 108 games in the Swiss top pro league, the NLA, one of the best leagues in Europe.
With just nine points in his NLA career over four seasons, Antonietti, who is playing for Geneve-Servette, can’t be considered an offensive defenseman. Last month, he signed a three-year contract with his club.
I recall seeing Antonietti at the World Juniors. He was a man among boys physically at the tournament– not only one of the biggest players, but also one of the oldest, making the age cut-off by less than a month.
There are a number of big-bodied free agents at camp. Defensemen Ben Woodley (Brampton/CHL), Zach Loesch (Lake Superior State/NCAA), and Wade Epp (Northern Michigan/NCAA), left winger Chris Waterstreet (SUNY Oswego/NCAA D-III), right winger Zach Saar (Penn State/NCAA) are all six-foot-five. Defenseman Michal Cajkovsky, who left a good impression at camp one year ago and played with Reading in the ECHL, stands at six-foot-four.
Antonietti is a headliner among the free-agent camp invitees. Other players to look for are Sam Warning from University of Minnesota and Slovenian Olympian Jan Urbas.
So, how tall is Eliot Antonietti?
Photo: Richard Wolowicz/HHOF-IIHF Images
Photo: Eric Lafargue
Photo: Geneve-Servette hockey club
Very.
